Phoenix football doubt for Harrington?

Pádraig Harrington kicks into the crowd during last year's final round. Picture via RTE.ie/Getty Images

Phil Mickelson might be struggling to make the defence of his Waste Management Phoenix Open title because of a back injury. But there's no guarantee you'll see Pádraig Harrington booting American footballs into the stand on the 16th on Superbowl Sunday either.

The Wilson golfer did his bit of the Superbowl ball provider last year, kicking off a tee and from his hands to the delight of the fans at the 16th during the third round.

Padraig Harrington kicks on Friday in Phoenix last year.

Paired with eventual winner Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker in the final round, he promised himself he'd resist the temptation on Sunday but failed.

"I was kicking balls while they were trying to win the tournament," he recalled ruefully, no doubt looking back to his share of ninth as a bit of a disappointment having opened with a 64 and then shot a 63 on Saturday.

"The gas thing was, I knew I would be kicking footballs on the 16th on the second day. So on Sunday I said, 'Right, it’s the last round of the tournament, you don’t want to be pulling a hamstring kicking balls, so just go easy.'

"Sure enough, when I got there, I had to start hoofing it. I was kicking ball with the place kicker from the Arizona Cardinals."

Harrington doesn't need his performance coach Dave Alred - better known as a rugby place-kicking coach to the likes of Johnny Wilkinson - to teach him how to boot a ball.

"When you are trying to clear your 18 yard line on a cold winter’s day, knowing that ball s coming straight back at you if you don’t kick it properly, you learn pretty quickly how to kick a ball," said the former net minder.

Harrington on putting: "I was really bad last year. I was just so bad"

Pádraig Harrington shows off his glasses in Phoenix. Via pgatour.comPádraig Harrington can’t see the future even if he does have two new pairs of glasses to ease the strain on his eyes and help him regain the bullet-proof green-reading confidence that made him a world star.

Harrington hot in the desert - 64 for openers

The eerie shadow of Padraig Harrington against the desert sunset at Tuesday’s practice round at The Waste Management Phoenix Open at The TPC of Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona. (photo: kenneth e.dennis / kendennisphoto.com)Phil Mickelson might have horseshoed out for a 59 as he rocketed around TPC Scottsdale in a red-hot 11 under 60 but Pádraig Harrington had him right in his sights - even without glasses - as he had just 26 putts in an opening 64 in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Harrington alive and kicking

Pádraig Harrington launches an American football into the crowd on the 16th on Saturday.Pádraig Harrigton gatecrashed “The Phil Mickelson Show” for a few hours on Saturday night, firing an eagle and seven birdies in an eight under 63 in front of crowds estimated at 179,000-plus to secure a place in the final group in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Harrington wastes cut chance with three-putt nightmare

Pádraig Harrington was certain to miss his second successive cut after a frustrating three-putt on the 18th - his second on the back nine - left him a shot shy of salvation in the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.